BELFAST, Maine — The bikers may have come into the City Council meeting Tuesday night ready for a debate and wearing their leathers, a lot of Harley-Davidson gear, mirrored sunglasses and do-rags.
But most left wreathed in smiles after city councilors decided to back off their crackdown on motorcycle noise. The decision came after councilors heard many impassioned comments from the public, most of which urged the city not to put up the controversial signs asking bikers to ride quietly through the downtown.
The decision at the last regular council meeting to install the signs — as well as an offhand comment by Councilor Roger Lee asking if it might be possible to keep motorcycles off certain streets — had caused a furor among motorcycle riders who said they felt singled out by the city. Some even called for a boycott of downtown Belfast and stated, incorrectly, that they believed councilors had moved to ban motorcycles.
But the bad feelings seemed to have changed Tuesday night, according to Dan Murphy, who organized a Facebook page for the boycott.
“I think it’s a positive step in the right direction,” he said outside Belfast City Hall. “As far as I’m concerned, the boycott can go away.”
Council chambers seemed to be filled with 20 or so motorcycle enthusiasts. One who spoke about the controversy was Chris Knight of Belfast, who said that some of the hurt feelings might stem from a sense among some longtime Belfast residents that they don’t have a voice in the city anymore.
“I think this is the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said, adding that the signs matter to him. “It’s more of a boycott of people saying, hey, our rights are being taken away. The signs aren’t good for this community. I’d feel like I’m profiled.”
Another motorcycle rider whose words fired up the crowd was Phil Brown of Belfast, who said that he has put a lot of miles under his two wheels in 70-something years.
“It’s a very, very small group that makes all the noise,” he said. “We’re being discriminated against, and so are truckers. I guess I’m getting so old I don’t care. I don’t think a boycott is the answer. I don’t think antagonizing the people who live here is the answer. It doesn’t behoove us.”
Resident Tony Kulik stood up to say that he would like the city to have less unnecessary noise.
“I didn’t complain about the motorcycles,” he said. “I complained about the noise. The law said the bikes shouldn’t be loud, and not all of them are. It’s a matter of the law.”
Many of the councilors responded positively to the concerns of the bikers, including Lee, who explained that he was just thinking out loud when he asked the question about keeping bikes off the streets.
“You made some change just by showing up,” he said. “This council listens. We will try to do the right thing, but if we don’t hear from you, we can’t.”
He said that he thought they had a valid point with their dislike of the pointed signs.
“We shouldn’t be discriminating against motorcycles,” he said.
Councilor Mike Hurley said that he understands how they don’t want to be singled out by signs — but added that the boycott “really ticked me off.”
“What did downtown Belfast do to you that you think you could take all those businesses … hostage?” he asked the bikers in the crowd. “Do I think you should be ashamed of yourselves for taking those businesses hostage? Yes. I do. I do want to see that boycott pulled.”
Many in the audience as well as councilors said that instead of signs aimed at motorcycle riders, the city would leave enforcement of the state’s noise ordinance laws to local police officers.
Chief Mike McFadden said after the meeting that he thought the attention paid recently to the issue of motorcycle noise is positive.
“I think this is a big step in the right direction,” he said.
Councilor Mike Hurley…what a tool.
How dare he call it like it is….bikers made a huge deal out of nothing … Stupidity at it’s fullest.
What is the differance between a loud exhaust on your car(which you don’t see much of that anymore)and a modified exhaust on a harley or any other motorcycle out there on the road today.Walking in the downtown area or anywhere for that matter,hearing the Blah!!-Blah!!-Bla Bla Blahhhhhhh!!! of these bikes are very annoying!!Not to mention ear piecing,per which Im very fond of my hearing and would like to keep it..This does NOT impress me one bit that these people actually waiste there time and energy doing this.Living here I find it hard to sleep on some nights cuz of the constant noise echoing of the buildings.Look what a load exhaust on your car or truck will get you,which is a lot less loader then these blatten bikes out there.How happy would you feel if you left your harley home with the modified blah-ting exhaust and got stopped in your car or truck for a faulty or load exhaust?To me they is and should not be any differance,and what ever happen to the good old law,Disturbing the piece?Im sure most of our senoir people out there are just thrilled to hear this stuff all the time.Not to mention the smell of these bikes in front of you,or stopped at a stop light with one sitting right next to you gunning the engine while your child is asleep in the back seat being woke up to this crying…Not funny,not cool in my book,cuz thats what I deal with every summer
Well there is a solution ya know…You could always move out in the woods somewhere, though i am sure you would complain about the loud coyotes, or the rusteling of branches by deer or something….Its noice in a CITY…ya want peace and quiet, move to the country.
I take it you own one of these loud bikes,and not everyone has that option to just pack up and move to the country where its quieter.In a perfect world.that would be the answer.what I am stateing is why should a motorcycle get”speacial treatment”over a vehicle that has 4-wheels
Im a biker. The best solution is, we all need to respect each other.
a mind is a terrible thing…
So if you life intown and don’t want to deal with illegal bike noise your solution is for someone to just pack up a leave there home…are you rediculous or just plain stupid…are you serious Belfast talks about putting a sign up and you bikers cry for a week…and you expect taxpayers to pack up and leave so you can come to town a few weeks a year and spend your money at Rollie’s.
Maybe they could move back where they came from, as well?
You must ask those questions of your police department, city council, and the Maine State Police who are supposed to supervise the state’s motor vehicle inspection system. The operators of those loud motorcycles are getting their way because the state is letting them have it their way by not taking their clearly illegal loud pipes away from them and enforcing the law.
God forbid a tax paying citizen ask a counselor, police or even breath a question about loud bikes in Belfast…haven’t you heard the bikers will take there toys and go home if anyone even says anything about them. Seems to me they hold a lot of power over the city.
Let’s go down your list of suggestions Larry. Police may consider those repeating noise assault complainers to be abusing their rights to be protected, and will instruct them to not make multiple complaints on every audible bike or be subject to arrest. Asking a Police chief who rides loud, about how the force patrols excessively loud motorcycles in traffic will result in unsatisfactory realizations. City council members are as virgin as can be about this issue, without the slightest clue about the full complexities of this issue. State Police commonly refer to service managers at local motorcycle dealerships as to what type of equipment is legal. The service manager is most likely to own and operate a highly modified motorcycle that has had its standard noise controls removed. Most inspection station technicians operate the loudest of the loud bikes, because they are enthusiasts and are known to love to customize. They are not likely to reject a sticker on an exhaust system examination because of defective equipment, especially when the equipment is much like their own. The State government depends on Working Group Members and Transportation Committee Members who are strongly lobbied by Special Vehicle Groups to allow reasonable noise volume increases, with a promise that it’s enforcement model works. The Working Groups include loud Bikers, all of which reject any proposal to use standard sound levels. Citizen Group’s goals are to propose and legislate “label laws” that will actually allow 100% of all motorcycle owners to significantly and legally raise volumes. Great advise Larry!
Gerry, you sure are an ornery old one, aren’t ya? Could you point me to where I can find the supporting documentation that only 15% of motorcyclists are legal and law abiding? That is a ludicrous claim and cannot be substantiated. Hop back into your Prius and silently go away.
The difference between a car and motorcycle is defined in Title 29a 1912. Motorcycles are low-noise-emission regulated products (CFR 40 Part 205) that can not be operated legally in Maine with the regulated noise controls replaced, removed, altered, or rendered inoperable. A car or light truck has a lower numerical decibel threshold “maximum federal limit” then a motorcycle, but by manufacturer choice, the general design character of the noise control equipment performs far better then needed to pass the sound measurement procedure. i.e. standard Toyota Prius typical silent noise level offered into the soundscape during common traffic operation. Motorcycles also are purposely built by the manufacturers design team to exceed the requirements in the federal standard (lower then 80 dB(A)) for many reasons, that result in products in commerce to offer “protection”-(EPA defined to be better then the minimal protection offered by the EPA’s 80 dB(A) limit) to the public of these specific vehicles operated in traffic. In other words, standard motorcycles are way quieter then they need to be. Maine law says, don’t raise the volume even if the vehicle is way to quiet.
It is against the state law to raise the volume of any standard motorcycle, car or truck by replacing, removing, altering or rendering the original noise controls ineffective, as described in the language in 1912 Amplification Prohibited. The exception to the law must have a defendant provide empirical sound measurement data to overturn a charge-1912 6b.. It is highly unlikely any defendant, who was charged by the obvious evidence of the audible excessive noise heard by a peace officer, to pass this objective sound measurement procedure. Therefore the state law may be enforced on all cars, light trucks and motorcycles, by “noise feel” and this “Quantitative Sound Measurement” has been included in the enforcement method for many years.
If you feel you are a victim of a noise assault, and do not make a formal complaint, you may be as guilty for the lack of enforcement as the police are who turn the other way. Record events. Write down the time, the duration and describe the Qualitative Noise type. Was it a hum or a bark. Was the noise an obvious result of hard acceleration and from what starting direction to ending direction. Estimate the total distance from you the source of this noise entered your soundscape. Give this record to the local Chief after you have compiled a list. Do not confront any loud biker, for any reason. Without complaints, there is no police perspective of public to protect against the adverse health effects of excessive motorcycle noise.
Ban loud pipes and revoke the license of those who modify their exhaust to be louder.
despite popular belief, loud pipes do not save lives.
in fact, they most likely cause more accidents.
“they most likely cause more accidents”. Oh stop it, lets see some facts..
so imagine this, you’re driving in your car on some town or city streets,
suddenly you hear sirens going off from somewhere,
what do you do? what’s your natural reaction?
you take your eyes off the road and search for the source of the noise.
therefore you’re no longer paying full attention to where you’re going.
so therefore, it causes more accidents.
My natural reaction is to pullover and let the ambulance or police car go by! Your comment is completely ignorant and laughable. Perhaps you should not be driving?
okay, so you’re driving along, suddenly you hear loud bangs going off near your vehicle.
you take your eyes off the road to find the source of the shenanigans.
someone in front of you stops quickly, while you’re looking in your mirror for the source of the noise… crash.
also, if “loud pipes save lives” then why don’t we see moped riders, rice rocket riders, or bicyclists in more accidents?
maybe it’s because they’re being quiet, and so people are better able to pay attention to where they’re driving.
on another note, harley riders almost never wear helmets, almost always wear all black gear, and ride side by side, none of those are safe practices. that tells me that harley riders don’t care about “saving lives” they just want to be noticed
They rev up their bikes at stop lights like a bunch of attentionwhore losers, and are overall inconsiderate a-holes
Don’t tailgate
you’re missing the point derpina.
Derp
I never said loud pipes saves lives. You are the one who said “loud pipes DO NOT save lives.”
” harley riders almost never wear helmets”, that comment is borderline stupid!! I truly think you should stay off the road….
PS: Pantophobia, look it up.
lol, fear of everything huh?
how about just annoyed at immature attention seeking harley riders.
Acem M.A.I.D.S. study ” Only conventional modified motorcycles, were over-represented in accident Statistics.” HURT Report “Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the Semi-Chopper or Cafe Racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.” Two of the worlds most independent, comprehensive motorcycle accident causation studies, both conclude the same summery about how modified motorcycles, like those with custom exhaust, show up more in accidents then unmodified motorcycles. Rock solid science with hard facts.
Just yesterday, maybe Monday it was in the BDN, a man towing a trailer left hand turned in front of a motorcyclist, catapulting him 170+ feet. It also mentioned there was a storm with thunder and lightening so whats that mean? If the guy in the truck had heard the motorcyclist, he wouldn’t have cut the guy on the motorcycle off?
if you’re referring to this:
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/06/30/news/midcoast/rockland-couple-flown-to-hospital-after-route-1-motorcycle-crash/
Then it seems it was inattention of the motorcycle rider that caused the accident.
loud pipes would not have come close to preventing this accident, since the truck was in front of the motorcycle.
I hope your not actually saying and expect us to believe that you can not hear a bike with loud pipes coming up behind you? Are you serious? I understand your grasping for straws at this point but wow.
do you expect every other motorist to be silent in their car so they can hear you whiny motorcycle riders?
I almost always have my stereo up, my blue tooth headset on, and i’m busy paying attention to what’s ahead of me to worry about some idiot_behind me on a bike.
you’re being ridiculous.
Ha Ha, how can you possibly hear what is going on around you when you have your “stereo up” and “your blue tooth headset on”??? Your comments are baffling! I give up, have a good day.
so, the point was, am i supposed to keep my stereo down, my bluetooth out, and constantly check my mirrors just in case some harley rider decides to be a_moron and hit my car from behind?how’s about no.
Without knowing any other details, I can say the motorcyclist was 100% at fault. We are trained, warned, prepared and guard against any left-hand turning vehicle, or any vehicle that may potentially violate our right-away in adjacent intersections. We predict the driver may not see us, slow to a speed that would allow a full avoidance, cover the breaks, move lanes to create time and space, and “IF” our prediction comes true, we execute the plan to avoid the accident and any other accidents as a result of our actions. If we don’t we maximize the risk potential and become a statistic. “If the guy in the truck had heard”,,, If If IF,, motorcyclist don’t survive on ifs, we respond to situations, and control the outcome. Why? Because we are not protected from injury in a collision with a car or truck. Injuries are often serious or fatal. What if the guy driving the truck was hard of hearing? Tell me what kind of accident you will be in and I’ll tell you how to protect yourself.
I’m a seasoned rider, the article said “thunder and liftening was going on in the area at the time of the accident’, thought someone (the author of the article) was trying to make a point. Not looking for a class in self defense driving. I know I’m a target when I get on my motorcycle. I know to look for all escapes routes every inch of road I ride over, however thanks for educating those who don’t ride.
The damage is already done Belfast store owners. Its going to be a long summer.
if loud motorcyclists stay out of belfast then there’s no damage done, in fact a something great has been accomplished! in that loud annoying harley riders will avoid a peaceful town. If only we could make this a trend.
I would rather be known for being Harley fan in Belfast then a CHICKEN TOWN for over 40 years. Atleast people who own a harley can afford to dump some money into your little pee wee town..
Well I highly doubt the bikers will be dumping their little pee wee’s out in Belfast — seems to me their still all wearing diapers and having their mothers wipe their snotty noises. Cry babies are replacing Harely riders.
Like I said the other day in response to the article. I dont care what anyone has and wants to ride for a bike. I myself ,have friends that have Harleys. And you know what, they respect others. You never here them cranking on the throttle ever. I have been riding Honda bikes for most of my life now , why am I still alive if the only way to save lives is with loud pipes????????????????? To me it has always been and always will be to get attention. The police should give tickets to any type vehicle that is to loud. The new law that you have to display your inspection sticker will do alot to help this. I know for a fact that alot of these loud bikes where not inspected. I know the inspection stations will be looked at alot more now also. Ride safe and all you bike riders take care of yourselves. Lets all respect each other in this WORLD
Some bikers look for a way to rev it up and stand out as they roll down the streets just like some kids did with their cars in my day. Not every biker is out looking to make the big noise. Why single out all bikers when it is a few bad apples? Discrimination in any form is just plain wrong!
If you’re not obnoxious with your level of noise, then a sign asking for less noise wouldn’t apply to you. How does that single out all bikers?
The loud ones stamped their feet and got their way. Maybe the offenders will realize that they’ve been put on notice (such as it is) that being noisy isn’t appreciated, let alone admired.
Loud vehicles weren’t ticketed before, I believe Belfast just gave loud bikes an O.K. to do their own thing. It’s gonna be a loud Summer….
The loud motorcycles are in violation of Maine laws so it’s somewhat strange that no one seems to have asked why the Belfast police haven’t been enforcing these laws. It’s not unusual for a loud Harley to have only straight pipes with no muffler. A bike with straight pipes doesn’t qualify for the annual safety inspection sticker and the straight pipes are right out there for all to see including of course, police officers. Last year, about 40 percent of Maine’s registered motorcycles didn’t receive the inspection sticker which strongly suggests that many bikers aren’t concerned about this because there’s no enforcement of the laws that apply to motorcycles. Also, it’s illegal for any vehicle registered for use on our public roads to have an exhaust that’s louder than the factory original. And many Harleys have mufflers that are obviously louder than the factory original.
In violation of a law that is not actively enforced, followed, or agreed upon by the majority results in people running the show, not the legislature. The specific State Statutes, and Federal Code on m c noise controls are meaningless to any person who is commonly harmed by this type of unwanted sound energy, especially if they neglect to exercise the “Citizen Suit” provision in the Noise Control Act of 1972. The only meaningful purpose of a noise control, is if the defined prohibition results in a measured control. More then 85% of Maine’s registered motorcycles are operated outside the law. 15% obeying the law, can not be considered, by any stretch of the imagination, evidence that current noise control laws are effective and valid. It is very possible in the near future that Maine’s Title 29a 1912 general muffler regulation and the Federal government’s CFR 40 part 205 can be found unconstitutionally applied due to overbreadth and vagueness of the law with its meaningful non-effectiveness for so many.
Rebels without a cause. What a bunch of cry babies. I have owned motorcycles for 40 years.
I always see the signs asking truckers not to use there air brakes while the loud bikes go through town revving their engines. Something is wrong when a bike carrying one person makes more noise than an 18-wheeler carrying tons of goods.
All they need to do in Belfast is to show up at a meeting cry a bit over a stupid sign and the counselors will take it down … Oh …. And threaten to not spend money in town and brag about the charity work they do.
I have always been puzzled by the claim that “loud pipes save lives”. It is a claim usually made by the same people that oppose helmet safety laws and wear a doo rag instead of a DOT approved helmet. In fact, statistics show that the safest motorcycles on the road are the BMWs that also happen to be the quietest.
If you think about it, loud pipes direct the noise toward the back of the motorcycle when they are rolling down the road. They do not alert oncoming traffic nor to they signal to cross traffic at an intersection of the arrival of a motorcycle. The noise is most effective while idling at a stop light, especially with frequent blips of the throttle, but for what purpose? There simply is no safety benefit. So what is the point of loud pipes? A. To attract attention to the rider (Hey, look at me! Ain’t I cool). B. To deliberately annoy people (Suffer my presence, sucker). C. To try to attract a potential life partner or one-night stand (Loud pipes are for lonely hearts). D. To make up for the inability to hear music on a radio or cd player (Which they can’t hear because their pipes are too loud).
Enjoy your motorcycles guys and let the rest of us enjoy life too — and for god’s sake, wear a helmet!
Ya right….It’s NOT the bike that’s safe…..it’s the person RIDING it! And if my pipes are a little loud…then you might HEAR me before you HIT me!
Arrogant much!
No arrogance here my friend….just want to live to ride another day…..
Since I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress syndrome (PST),when a loud Harley passes by I am ready to duck for cover as I expect an IUD has exploded. The noise is particularity bad in the canyon of Lower Main St. in Belfast. When some Harley that has frighten me parks in front of Rollie’s I make sure to vandalize the machine. I once put expanding foam in a straight pipe in Bangor. I’m at war with your loud bikes so watch out…
A long time ago I used to ride friendlies with the Banditos, and noticed the louder the bike the more sexually inadequate was the rider. Just saying…
I see, your a liar about your PST, likely paranoia from commiting too many crimes, from hanging out with criminals, taking a free ride from the tax payers under false pretenses.
I think the military should be informed by the BDN who this is and pull the benefits they are stealing.
Just saying…….
Let’s have a little lesson on P.T.S.D. that is Post Traumatic Stress “DISORDER” and if an IUD was to explode the poor woman would probably muffle the sound enough that it wouldn’t bother you much except for the little bits of human flying around. check this out….
IUD Birth Control Info | hormone-free-birth-control.com or this…
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)follow the links so next time you won’t make a butthole out of yourself .
So let me get this straight…a bunch of bikers show up at a counsel meeting looking very intimidating and the counsel representatives apologize all over themselves for making or daring to find a simple solution to encourage bikers to keep it down in town (a sign that says please keep it down). So Mr. Chief Mike McFadden are you going to stand behind the laws in place and stop the bikers who are too loud (this will be difficult seeings you along with many of your men ride with these guys). I guess this clearly shows that there was no real solution found to the problem … Just let them continue to maintain status quo — take that citizens that came just he week before with your concerns…threaten to stop supporting local merchants and your voice will be heard. My new view of bikers….children!
Maybe you should come on one of our charity rides…and see just what we REALLY do…eh? You can’t lump all bikers in the same pile. Ya there are some bad a** ones out there, but then again…there are some bad a** citizens too that think they can run everyone’s lives for us….NOT
so let me get this straight,
if i get a bunch of my buddies together, with stereo systems blasting rap music as loud as possible, cut the exhaust of our cars, and drive by everywhere slowly so that everyone notices us even at all hours of the night it’s okay?
all as long as i do some charity work sometimes?
I like this idea!
who’s with me!
I’m going to call our club “rap blasters!”
Blowing it out of proportion just a bit are we??
Bikers don’t listen to rap.
Didn’t write one word about charity work being done…bikers and other citizens do a lot of charity work…bikers are not the only group doing good things in our community and I do think it’s great that they do this. But to ask for special favors in return for good deeds is not o.k. Either. If this was allowed each group willing to help out others would be running the city. Police need to wake up and not only stop the young kids with a little pin hole in their muffler but also stop the bikers that are illegal no matter how much charity work or money the spend at Rollie’s.
Hmm…this reminds me why I don’t want to go to Belfast to shop in the wonderful shops I hear about all the time. The citizens don’t want me or my bike or my money there, and if I do go there, my bike will get vandalized???? Ya….NOT a place I want to go to.
And just for the record….I’m a 40 hr a week plus hard working woman, 56 years old, not some Sons of Anarchy wanna be. God knows there’s enough of THOSE out there. I am a person that loves to ride my bike….wants to do it as safely as possible and stay alive. My pipes are a little loud, but not RUDE. Only someone that rides a bike can understand that being seen is what saves a biker’s life. And if my pipes draw a little “immediate” but not prolonged attention to the fact that I am there in YOUR line of fire…then they have done their job.
What are you talking about? I would not valdalize yours or anyone’s property. Another whiny comment from a biker…man you guys are getting a different rep than the strong bikers of the past…cry babies. Who cares whether you shop in town or not if it’s not you spending money at Rollie’s then others will come in and actually spend money in the other shops. I also work 40 hours a week at a very good job and sometimes chooses to spend my money in town and other times out of town. I just don’t think Belfast should be held hostage by ANY group of people.
Another case of intimidation by a minority has triumphed over the law. The city of Belfast has been hung out to dry by the good ole state of Maine. We have laws on the books now to stop these fine upstanding citizens riding illegal bikes with straight exhaust pipes if only the state would make sure they are enacted. First by revoking the licenses of inspection stations that allow these motorcycles to pass inspection and second to stop and summon those illegal motorcycle operators. Personally i think the police are afraid to stop them.
Fact is people annoy people!!! I am annoyed by someone answering their cell phone while standing in at the register checking out, people who chew loudly with lip smacking sounds at a restaurant or people who play like their lives will never be the same since being bothered by whatever it was that ANNOYED them. I am not on any crusaded to ban cell phones or tell people how to eat or give money to someone who was annoyed by something. So let’s just pull up the big person panties and GET OVER IT!!!
yes, people will annoy people, but when a baby is sleeping soundly, and some harley rider roars through and startles the baby awake, then that makes them low-life, immature, attention seeking aholes.
if kids have to cover their ears when you pass because the pipes are too loud, it’s not right.
people like that should have their licenses revoked and be forced to do community service helping deaf people.
Really?? You take you kids to parades right (Being this is the forth of July) I have watched many kids cover their ears when the sirens on any emergency vehicle blare as it goes by or a group of classic cars go by honking their horns. I have also seen kids cover their ears during thunder storms and loud cracks of thunder wake a sleeping baby. Kids don’t like loud scary noises period. Are you just as annoyed at the Emergency Vehicle responding to an accident with sirens and that “Attention Getting” horn of theirs goes by and wakes up the baby, low-life, immature, attention seeking aholes? Maybe we should ban them from using sirens within city limits or put a ban on thunderstorms for sake of all the babies. Ancientlegacy you need to really write things down and evaluate what your trying to say and are actually saying before posting.
This isn’t about Physics (noise , etc). , its about Brains. Everyone knows that certain things you might like, other people might not. SOLUTION – respect that and act accordingly. For the Motorcycle community lead by example and most will follow. The rest get cited ..
A lot of you are asking, “Why isn’t the law being enforced?”. You must ask those questions of your police department, city council, and the Maine State Police who are supposed to supervise the state’s motor vehicle inspection system. Asking it here is not going to do much good. When you receive their classic excuses for why they are not enforcing the law you must then tell them that is not acceptable, demand that they enforce the law, and pressure them to do it until they do. The operators of those loud motorcycles are getting their way because the state is letting them have it their way by not taking their clearly illegal loud pipes away from them and enforcing the law. Why, you wonder? Because just as in the case of Belfast’s city council the bikers and the MRO’s who represent them cry foul and the state and it’s law enforcers buckle under their intimidation tactics and pleads for sympathy, end up apologizing instead of enforcing, compromising with them on the law instead of strengthening the law, and end up maintaining the bikers “rights” status quo. Those loud Harleys are not going to be muted by their owners who feel they have a right to do as they please. The state must mute those loud Harleys, and any other loud motorcycles, and show their owners that they are greatly mistaken as to what their “rights” are and teach them a thing or two about the rule of law. If the state continues apologetically down the road of sympathy and compromise, the loud motorcycle culture will continue to rule, and be arrogant about it, the law and your rights be dammed.
it’s easier to write a ticket for a car with a pinhole leak in the exhaust than to stop harley riders.
just like it’s easier for the town police to write tickets instead of solving crime.
It’s not the gold wing and BMW riders touring Belfast, but the ‘outlaws’ and their straight pipes who roar up the hill to stop at Rollies.
It’s not one bike making the noise, but 2-4 together who create a deafening wall of noise that smothers normal conversation and dominates the street scene.
It’s also police who absolutely refuse to set up inspection or noise control stops…I hate liberals who pass ‘feels good’ laws and then won’t fund enforcement…..throw them out of office this fall or remove the laws from the books.
sometimes even a single bike with straight pipes can make ridiculous amounts of noise.
here everyone, watch this, the first 1 minute pretty much illustrates what the rest of civilized society thinks of harley riders
http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s13e12-the-f-word
south park, always right on.
I was an Over the road trucker for 14 yrs…my motor was loud even inside the cab..I know FOR A FACT that loud pipes have saved the life of several bikers in my 14 yrs as a trucker. Had it not been for loud pipes, I may not have seen the motorcycle as he was trying to pass me ( semi trucks have many BLIND SPOTS) …the sound was what kept me from tossing on my blinker and moving left over the top of him/her.
I guess LOUD PIPES MAY VERY WELL SAVE LIVES …huh?
How about the loud pipes that made the pissed off trucker pull over in spite. For every anecdotal story as evidence that LPSL works, there is an equal and opposite reason for why it does not work. The science is different. Let’s be very clear here. There is absolutely no empirical evidence that supports excessive noise-emissions as an effective safety strategy. Conversely, two of the most historic, comprehensive scientific motorcycle accident causation studies, miraculously agree with each other’s conclusions- Modified motorcycles are over-represented in accident statistics.
In my 38 year expert riding experience, I can tell you the mythical slogan on .25cent helmet decal sold across the street from the famous grave yard at Daytona Beach’s Boot Hill Saloon is well sourced.
This issue seems to really have been about the locals v.s. the folks from away. A great man once said give me liberty or give me death, the folks from away need to remember who they are dealing with. Some of these bikers are 20 generations Americans and freedom means a lot to them. Oh and by the by Hurley is a hypocrite if he didn’t have the movie theater he would be for the bikers. I remember when he was a liberal.
This motorcyclists’ is a 13th direct descendant of an original signer of the Mayflower Compact, an important first governing document which initiated the famous Declaration of Independence and the World’s greatest document the US Constitution. We live in a constitutional republic, in which men follow the rule of law. Loud bikers represent the antithesis to everything my 13th Great Grandfather believed in and handed over to you and I. We are free to obey the democratically agreed upon rule of law. The law clearly says to not operate a highway motorcycle with raised volumes. Where do you think the stereotyped biker name “outlaw” came from? Do you have any idea how today’s outlaw would be punished for crimes in a colonial system of justice? This issue has nothing to do with Americans from away.
The chicken trucks would have really drove them nuts.